Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 111:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 111:6. The power of his works — They have seen that these things did not arrive in the common course of nature, it was not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts they were done. And it required a display of the power of God to give them the heritage of the heathen.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 111-112 God and his godly people

Equal in length and similar in form, these two psalms can be read as a pair. Both are acrostics (see note preceding Psalms 9:0). The former considers the greatness of God, the latter the character of his godly people.

God’s wonderful works, both in creation and in history, are a cause for praise by all his worshipping people (111:1-3). In his sovereign power he took the agriculturally productive land of Canaan from its heathen inhabitants and gave it to the Israelite people according to the covenant he had made with them (4-6). His desire is that they rule themselves according to his just law (7-8). He is the mighty and holy covenant-redeemer of his people, and they should fear him, honour him, obey him and praise him (9-10).
When people respond to God in such a way, God blesses them with a respected, upright and prosperous line of descendants (112:1-3). God looks after those who are fair in their treatment of others and generous with their money (4-6). Their lives will be enriched with a sense of security and confidence, so that they fear nothing (7-8). The satisfaction that comes from such lives is in sharp contrast to the envy and hopelessness of the wicked (9-10).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: Jehovah is gracious and merciful. He hath given food to them that fear him: He will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath showed his people the power of his works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.”

“Wonderful works” We agree with Miller that both here and in Psalms 111:9, below, “There is a reference to the exodus.”C. M. Miller, co-author with Anthony L. Ash, p. 370. Delitzsch noted that, “Here there are glances back at the deliverance from Egypt.”F. Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 199.

“He hath given food for them that fear him… mindful of his covenant” Just as Psalms 111:4 speaks of the “remembrance” of God’s mighty works in Egypt (etc.), this verse stresses the “bread of that remembrance,” the feast of unleavened bread and the Passover. “Even from the times of Theodoret and Augustine, the thought of the Eucharist has been connected with this Psalms 111:5; consequently, this psalm has become the psalm of the church at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.”Ibid., p. 198. The “church” referred to here by Delitzsch is the historical church.

“In giving them the heritage of the nations” “Probably the writer refers to the conquest by Joshua.”J. R. Dummelow, p. 371. We consider the reference as certain instead of `probable.’ The conquest of Canaan is the only time known when God gave to Israel the “heritage of the nations.”

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He hath showed his people - The Jewish people. He has made this known to them. The reference here is not to his “announcing” it, or stating it, but to his acts of interposition in their behalf in which he had manifested the greatness of his power.

The power of his works - The power of his acts; the power involved in what he does. The power referred to here was that which was evinced in destroying the Egyptians, and in subduing the nations of Canaan.

That he may give them the heritage of the heathen - The nations; to wit, the nations of Palestine. The word “heritage” is often used in the large sense of possessions; and the meaning here is, that God had shown the greatness of his power by giving all that they possessed into the hands of his people.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 111:1-10 has twenty-two lines. It is known as an acrostic psalm; each line in this psalm begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And so the first line of the psalm in Hebrew begins with Aleph, the second line in Hebrew begins with Beyth, the third line begins with Giymel, and the fourth Daleth, and so forth through the Hebrew alphabet, each line. And this is true also of Psalms 112:1-10 , another psalm of twenty-two lines. They are called acrostic because of the alphabet is used in a succeeding way throughout the psalm. It begins with Hallelujah.

Praise unto the LORD [Hallelujah]. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all of them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion ( Psalms 111:1-4 ).

Again, how wrong it is to picture the God of the Old Testament as the God of judgment and wrath and all. Void of love. Here again the psalmist declares, "The Lord is gracious, full of compassion."

He hath given meat to them that reverence him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. The works of his hands are truth and judgment; and all of his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name ( Psalms 111:5-9 ).

Don't call me Reverend. There is nothing reverend about the name of Chuck or Smith. I refuse the title. It is used in the scripture only of the name of the Lord. To me it would be almost blasphemous to tag that title onto me or onto my name. In fact, I don't like any titles. But I always wonder about the person who tacks a Reverend on his signature when it is a title that is ascribed only to that holy name of Yahweh. That is the name that is reverend or to be reverenced.

But man in seeking the honor of man and the glory from man takes that title to himself because he wants man to give him prestige and glory and honor. And so somewhere along the line back in history, ministers began to take the tag of Reverend So-and-so. Reverend, and then their name. And then the Right Reverend. And then the Most Right Reverend. And then the Most Holy Right Reverend. And I'm sure that God looks down and says, (Raspberries). No, He doesn't say that, honey? No, He doesn't say that. But I'm sure He's disgusted with it, however He expresses His disgust. That men should seek to exalt their name. Oh God, help us. Let us exalt the name of Jesus. "God has given Him a name that is above all names: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess" ( Philippians 2:9-11 ). But as far as man, we're all dust. We're all flesh. We're all corrupt. And titles by which men try to elevate themselves above others are a curse. They're a sign of pride, and Reverend is a sign of spiritual pride which is the worst kind ever. "Holy and reverend is His name." For any man to take the title of Reverend, there has got to be something wrong with his theology.

The fear of the LORD ( Psalms 111:10 ):

Or the reverence of the Lord. And actually the word fear is reverence. The reverence of Yahweh. "Holy and reverenced is His name. And the reverence of Yahweh,"

is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever ( Psalms 111:10 ).

Now let me say this. I believe that there are many men who have taken the title of Reverend in sheer ignorance. I mean, I don't think that they are really trying to exalt themselves. Or every man that signs it Reverend Whoever is trying to exalt themselves and has a pride problem. And that I believe that there are some that just follow tradition and haven't even thought the thing through and haven't even gone to the scriptures. And thus, you know, I put it down not to a real pride problem. I just put it down to stupidity. So it would be wrong if you get a letter from Reverend Ike. What is so reverend about the name Ike, pray tell? Icky Ike. We better move on into Psalms 112:1-10 . "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 111

This is one of the acrostic psalms (cf. Psalms 9, 10; Psalms 25; Psalms 34; Psalms 37; Psalms 112; Psalms 119; Psalms , 145). Each successive line in the Hebrew text begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer evidently expressed his thoughts this way so the Israelites could memorize and recite the psalm easily. He recounted the Lord’s great works of redemption that should draw out His people’s praise.

"Acrostic poems in general do not show logical development because of the arbitrary imposition of the alphabetic form." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 700.]

"Psalms 111-113 all begin with Hallelujah, and there is a specially close bond between 111 and 112. These two are . . . a matched pair in their subject-matter, which tells of God in this psalm, and of the man of God in the next, even sharing the same or similar phrases in one or two verses." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 396.]

"But Psalms 111, 112 are treated separately because they have a slightly different accent, an unqualified statement that the world is ruled by God with moral symmetry. That symmetry in the world is reflected in the disciplined acrostic structure of these two psalms. The world works so that persons receive the consequences of their actions (Galatians 6:7); this statement entertains no doubt about it." [Note: Brueggemann, p. 45.]

This author called these psalms "songs of retribution." [Note: Ibid.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Praise for specific works 111:4-9

Psalms 111:4 states the theme of this section. God graciously helped His people, and consequently they remember to praise Him. Psalms 111:5-6 cite examples of God’s goodness. In Psalms 111:7-9, the writer praised God further for His redemption and His faithfulness.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He hath showed his people the power of his works,.... Or his works of power, his mighty works, in which his great power was shown; as to the people of Israel in Egypt, at the Red sea, in the wilderness, and in bringing them to and settling them in the land of Canaan; these he showed to them in fact, they saw them with their eyes; and he showed or declared them to them in prophecy, before they came to pass, as Kimchi observes, that it might not be said they came by chance. So he hath showed his works of power to his people in Gospel times, as the miracles of Christ, his resurrection from the dead, redemption by him, and the work of grace on the hearts of men in all ages.

That he may give them the heritage of the Heathen; the Lord did the above works of his power for the people of Israel, that he might put them into the possession of the land of Canaan, inherited by Heathens; that it might become their inheritance, and they might enjoy their houses, vineyards, and fields; and he wrought powerfully through the ministration of the Gospel, by his Spirit and grace, upon the hearts of men in the Gentile world; that the Christian church might possess the dominions of it, as it did in the times of Constantine and of others, and as it will more largely in the latter day; see Psalms 2:8.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      6 He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.   7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.   8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.   9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.   10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

      We are here taught to give glory to God,

      I. For the great things he has done for his people, for his people Israel, of old and of late: He has shown his people the power of his works (Psalms 111:6; Psalms 111:6), in what he has wrought for them; many a time he has given proofs of his omnipotence, and shown them what he can do, and that there is nothing too hard for him to do. Two things are specified to show the power of his works:-- 1. The possession God gave to Israel in the land of Canaan, that he might give them, or in giving them, the heritage of the heathen. This he did in Joshua's time, when the seven nations were subdued, and in David's time, when the neighbouring nations were many of them brought into subjection to Israel and became tributaries to David. Herein God showed his sovereignty, in disposing of kingdoms as he pleases, and his might, in making good his disposals. If God will make the heritage of the heathen to be the heritage of Israel, who can either arraign his counsel or stay his hand? 2. The many deliverances which he wrought for his people when by their iniquities they had sold themselves into the hand of their enemies (Psalms 111:9; Psalms 111:9): He sent redemption unto his people, not only out of Egypt at first, but often afterwards; and these redemptions were typical of the great redemption which in the fulness of time was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus, that redemption in Jerusalem which so many waited for.

      II. For the stability both of his word and of his works, which assure us of the great things he will do for them. 1. What God has done shall never be undone. He will not undo it himself, and men and devils cannot (Psalms 111:7; Psalms 111:7): The works of his hand are verity and judgment (Psalms 111:8; Psalms 111:8), that is, they are done in truth and uprightness; all he does is consonant to the eternal rules and reasons of equity, all according to the counsel of his wisdom and the purpose of his will, all well done and therefore there is nothing to be altered or amended, but his works are firm and unchangeable. Upon the beginning of his works we may depend for the perfecting of them; work that is done properly will last, will neither go to decay nor sink under the stress that is laid upon it. 2. What God has said shall never be unsaid: All his commandments are sure, all straight and therefore all steady. His purposes, the rule of his actions, shall all have their accomplishment: Has he spoken, and will he not make it good? No doubt he will; whether he commands light or darkness, it is done as he commands. His precepts, the rule of our actions, are unquestionably just and good, and therefore unchangeable and not to be repealed; his promises and threatenings are all sure, and will be made good; nor shall the unbelief of man make either the one or the other of no effect. They are established, and therefore they stand fast for ever and ever, and the scripture cannot be broken. The wise God is never put upon new counsels, nor obliged to take new measures, either in his laws or in his providences. All is said, as all is done, in truth and uprightness, and therefore it is immutable. Men's folly and falsehood make them unstable in all their ways, but infinite wisdom and truth for ever exclude retraction and revocation: He has commanded his covenant for ever. God's covenant is commanded, for he has made it as one that has an incontestable authority to prescribe both what we must do and what we must expect, and an unquestionable ability to perform both what he has promised in the blessings of the covenant and what he has threatened in the curses of it, Psalms 105:8.

      III. For the setting up and establishing of religion among men. Because holy and reverend is his name, and the fear of him is the beginning of wisdom, therefore his praise endureth for ever, that is, he is to be everlastingly praised. 1. Because the discoveries of religion tend so much to his honour. Review what he has made known of himself in his word and in his works, and you will see, and say, that God is great and greatly to be feared; for his name is holy, his infinite purity and rectitude appear in all that whereby he has made himself known, and because it is holy therefore it is reverend, and to be thought of and mentioned with a holy awe. Note, What is holy is reverend; the angels have an eye to God's holiness when they cover their faces before him, and nothing is more man's honour than his sanctification. It is in his holy places that God appears most terrible, Psalms 68:35; Leviticus 10:3. 2. Because the dictates of religion tend so much to man's happiness. We have reason to praise God that the matter is so well contrived that our reverence of him and obedience to him are as much our interest as they are our duty. (1.) Our reverence of him is so: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is not only reasonable that we should fear God, because his name is reverend and his nature is holy, but it is advantageous to us. It is wisdom; it will direct us to speak and act as becomes us, in a consistency with ourselves, and for our own benefit. It is the head of wisdom, that is (as we read it), it is the beginning of wisdom. Men can never begin to be wise till they begin to fear God; all true wisdom takes its rise from true religion, and has its foundation in it. Or, as some understand it, it is the chief wisdom, and the most excellent, the first in dignity. It is the principal wisdom, and the principal of wisdom, to worship God and give honour to him as our Father and Master. Those manage well who always act under the government of his holy fear. (2.) Our obedience to him is so: A good understanding have all those that do his commandments. Where the fear of the Lord rules in the heart there will be a constant conscientious care to keep his commandments, not to talk of them, but to do them; and such have a good understanding, that is, [1.] They are well understood; their obedience is graciously accepted as a plain indication of their mind that they do indeed fear God. Compare Proverbs 3:4, So shalt thou find favour and good understanding. God and man will look upon those as meaning well, and approve of them, who make conscience of their duty, though they have their mistakes. What is honestly intended shall be well taken. [2.] They understand well. First, It is a sign that they do understand well. The most obedient are accepted as the most intelligent; those understand themselves and their interest best that make God's law their rule and are in every thing ruled by it. A great understanding those have that know God's commandments and can discourse learnedly of them, but a good understanding have those that do them and walk according to them. Secondly, It is the way to understand better: A good understanding are they to all that do them; the fear of the Lord and the laws of that give men a good understanding, and are able to make them wise unto salvation. If any man will do his will, he shall know more and more clearly of the doctrine of Christ, John 7:17. Good success have all those that do them (so the margin), according to what was promised to Joshua if he would observe to do according to the law. Joshua 1:8, Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and shalt have good success. We have reason to praise God, to praise him for ever, for putting man into such a fair way to happiness. Some apply the last words rather to the good man who fears the Lord than to the good God: His praise endures for ever. It is not of men perhaps, but it is of God (Romans 2:29), and that praise which is of God endures for ever when the praise of men is withered and gone.